What major to look into?

[wfbberzerker]

i'm starting to look at what colleges im going to be applying to, and in doing so, i've also been considering what i want to do. i'm pretty sure i want to do something either programming oriented or computer hardware oriented, but i'm unclear as to what major i would want to look for in college.

if i were going into a hardware related field, would i want to take computer engineering? a friend of mine told me that it's really just a mixture of EE and computer science.

what exactly are the differences between all the engineering courses and computer science/engineering courses?

(p.s. - im looking at both university of minnesota - twin cities, and university of wisconsin - milwaukee, but UWM doesn't have a computer engineering course/major that i could see. what would i be taking in place of this?)

thanks a lot,
wfbberzerker

 

[Ryan]

I decided to major in Computer Science. <------------WORST MISTAKE EVAR!!!!!!!!

I'm currently trying to find a new major.

 

[wfbberzerker]

Originally posted by: rbloedow
I decided to major in Computer Science. <------------WORST MISTAKE EVAR!!!!!!!!

I'm currently trying to find a new major.

why do you think it's a mistake?

 

[Spac3d]

Originally posted by: rbloedow
I decided to major in Computer Science. <------------WORST MISTAKE EVAR!!!!!!!!

I'm currently trying to find a new major.

I did four years of CS in HS and when I got to college Iw as so sick of it. I transferred schools and became a business major.

I am a much happier person now.

 

[minus1972]

Originally posted by: rbloedow
I decided to major in Computer Science. <------------WORST MISTAKE EVAR!!!!!!!!

I'm currently trying to find a new major.

guh...try IT...no elevtives or minor...I'm ready to jump out of the freakin window.

 

[yobarman]

haha you suckers. i could've easily done CS but i realized that its a boring profession. just sit at a computer all your life? I dont think so.

so that's why i went into computer animations... yeah computers are involved but it's a lot more creative

 

[Ryan]

Well, after venturing into a programming languages, I realized that it actually sucked and was the most UNINTERESTING subject I have ever attempted.

I though taking computer related courses would be fun and interesting, but soon found out that they were about as interesting as the frog crap on my windows.

 

[Codewiz]

Any engineering field will open many doors for you.

Many of my friends have landed jobs just because they are considered an engineer. They got hired outside their field because the company feels that engineers can learn to do anything.

Computer Science is all programming with basic hardware classes mixed in.

Computer Engineering is EE with a computer emphasis in classes.

Many companies consider a EE and a Comp E the same thing.

I majored in CPSC because I actually like software engineering. I figured CPSC was the best field. Now looking back I wish I had decided on Computer Engineering.

You live and learn

 

[wfbberzerker]

thanks for your input, guys.

im taking computer science in high school right now (i will be taking AP next year) and while i do enjoy it (we're going to be starting assembly soon, which may change that), i feel that i'm "more at home" with hardware and engineering, since i've always had a knack for that kind of thing. i'm more the type who learns how to build a computer on their own before they would learn to program html on their own.

 

[Imdmn04]

Originally posted by: Codewiz
Any engineering field will open many doors for you.

Many of my friends have landed jobs just because they are considered an engineer. They got hired outside their field because the company feels that engineers can learn to do anything.

Computer Science is all programming with basic hardware classes mixed in.

Computer Engineering is EE with a computer emphasis in classes.

Many companies consider a EE and a Comp E the same thing.

I majored in CPSC because I actually like software engineering. I figured CPSC was the best field. Now looking back I wish I had decided on Computer Engineering.

You live and learn

yep engineers are usually the most competitive students out of a univeristy, an engineering student can probably do every other major and ace them with some exceptions such as art and music. but the point of it being that companies looks the for the most competitive applicants, and they know people with engineering based majors have goine through a lot just to graduate.

 

[Codewiz]

Originally posted by: Imdmn04

Originally posted by: Codewiz
Any engineering field will open many doors for you.

Many of my friends have landed jobs just because they are considered an engineer. They got hired outside their field because the company feels that engineers can learn to do anything.

Computer Science is all programming with basic hardware classes mixed in.

Computer Engineering is EE with a computer emphasis in classes.

Many companies consider a EE and a Comp E the same thing.

I majored in CPSC because I actually like software engineering. I figured CPSC was the best field. Now looking back I wish I had decided on Computer Engineering.

You live and learn

yep engineers are usually the most competitive students out of a univeristy, an engineering student can probably do every other major and ace them with some exceptions such as art and music. but the point of it being that companies looks the for the most competitive applicants, and they know people with engineering based majors have goine through a lot just to graduate.

Well 90% of my friends were engineers and they knew that I could have done their major just as easy as I did mine. Quite a few of my friends struggled through engineering and I DEFINATELY wouldn't want them design jack crap for me And a lot of them couldn't have done well in Computer Science.

we're going to be starting assembly soon, which may change that

Don't sweat that. I haven't really touched hardly ANY assembly since my classes in school. It is a necessary evil but don't let assembly hold you back if you like programming. Assembly isn't harder, it is just more tedious. It makes you appreciate high level languages.

 

[Gibson486]

Man, i am taking computer engineering and i just started to learn how to program. Last quarter i had matlab (not really programming, i know, but you have to do algorthmns) and well, i sucked at it. I still have no idea how to do a for loop. Right now i started c++, it doe snot seem to get any easier and it is boring as hell. Let me tell you this though, go to a school that is on the semester system (most, i imagine are). I am on the quarter sysytem and i am lazy as hell right now. I just fnished my last quarter and now i have to begien a new quarter. It sucks starting for a third time in one year. I really have to push myself. I just want to go home for the summer and be lazy. luckily nu is converting to semesters. ANyways, to give you an idea, engineers are pretty often looked for in the industry because, yeah, they can pretty much have a grasp on most other majors out there. Not only that, but places know engineering is dreadfully hard in some cases. to give you an example, i will start COOP next year and to land a COOP job in a place like Sun-microsystems or Microsoft, you need atleast a 3.2 GPA (woohoo, just barely made it!), however, if you were to apply as a computer science major, you need atleast a 3.6 or 3.7. To give you an idea, an engineer usually has more classes than any other major in one semester/quarter. They get alot of credits (sometimes they have more credits than allowd) than other majors.

 

law enforcement. Nuff said.

 

[Codewiz]

Originally posted by: Gibson486
Man, i am taking computer engineering and i just started to learn how to program. Last quarter i had matlab (not really programming, i know, but you have to do algorthmns) and well, i sucked at it. I still have no idea how to do a for loop. Right now i started c++, it doe snot seem to get any easier and it is boring as hell. Let me tell you this though, go to a school that is on the semester system (most, i imagine are). I am on the quarter sysytem and i am lazy as hell right now. I just fnished my last quarter and now i have to begien a new quarter. It sucks starting for a third time in one year. I really have to push myself. I just want to go home for the summer and be lazy. luckily nu is converting to semesters. ANyways, to give you an idea, engineers are pretty often looked for in the industry because, yeah, they can pretty much have a grasp on most other majors out there. Not only that, but places know engineering is dreadfully hard in some cases. to give you an example, i will start COOP next year and to land a COOP job in a place like Sun-microsystems or Microsoft, you need atleast a 3.2 GPA (woohoo, just barely made it!), however, if you were to apply as a computer science major, you need atleast a 3.6 or 3.7. To give you an idea, an engineer usually has more classes than any other major in one semester/quarter. They get alot of credits (sometimes they have more credits than allowd) than other majors.

You are misinformed about microsoft. I was flown out to Redmond to interview with them. I didn't get it but they DO NOT require 3.2 GPA. Microsoft FIRMLY believes that their interview process weeds out people don't meet their standards. GPA plays no role at MS. Hell Bill Gates never graduated from college.....

 

[Gibson486]

You are misinformed about microsoft. I was flown out to Redmond to interview with them. I didn't get it but they DO NOT require 3.2 GPA. Microsoft FIRMLY believes that their interview process weeds out people don't meet their standards. GPA plays no role at MS. Hell Bill Gates never graduated from college.....

well, you get the idea. I had that seminar about GPA's 6 months ago and all i rememered big well known places require atleast a 3.2. It's nice to see that a big company actually sees that there is more than teh GPA.

 

[UncleWai]

A question I have,
what can one do with a bachelor of arts or science degree in economics?
Seeing I don't have the gpa to get into the business school, I am planning on getting that.

 

[ROTC1983]

Originally posted by: rbloedow
I decided to major in Computer Science. <------------WORST MISTAKE EVAR!!!!!!!!

I'm currently trying to find a new major.

Yeah, I am changing from ICS to Anthropology. I am going to go into forensics And after I quit or retire from the military for a civvy job, I will go into law enforcement

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: Codewiz

Originally posted by: Gibson486
Man, i am taking computer engineering and i just started to learn how to program. Last quarter i had matlab (not really programming, i know, but you have to do algorthmns) and well, i sucked at it. I still have no idea how to do a for loop. Right now i started c++, it doe snot seem to get any easier and it is boring as hell. Let me tell you this though, go to a school that is on the semester system (most, i imagine are). I am on the quarter sysytem and i am lazy as hell right now. I just fnished my last quarter and now i have to begien a new quarter. It sucks starting for a third time in one year. I really have to push myself. I just want to go home for the summer and be lazy. luckily nu is converting to semesters. ANyways, to give you an idea, engineers are pretty often looked for in the industry because, yeah, they can pretty much have a grasp on most other majors out there. Not only that, but places know engineering is dreadfully hard in some cases. to give you an example, i will start COOP next year and to land a COOP job in a place like Sun-microsystems or Microsoft, you need atleast a 3.2 GPA (woohoo, just barely made it!), however, if you were to apply as a computer science major, you need atleast a 3.6 or 3.7. To give you an idea, an engineer usually has more classes than any other major in one semester/quarter. They get alot of credits (sometimes they have more credits than allowd) than other majors.

You are misinformed about microsoft. I was flown out to Redmond to interview with them. I didn't get it but they DO NOT require 3.2 GPA. Microsoft FIRMLY believes that their interview process weeds out people don't meet their standards. GPA plays no role at MS. Hell Bill Gates never graduated from college.....

what he said... i interviewed (and failed miserably ) with them once, and not once did GPA come up.

 

[gopunk]

Computer Science is all programming with basic hardware classes mixed in.

i strongly disagree... it is mostly math and logic, with a computer emphasis

 

[Orsorum]

Wait until the end of your first year - take a full load or more each quarter (don't totally stress yourself out, but do enough to get a bit ahead of your peers), and take a wide variety - try and fulfill the bulk of your General Education requirements. I found that the more I looked at getting a major, the more I stressed out about it.

Personally? During that first year, I would take a selection of classes like so:
First two quarters of cse
First quarter or two of calculus
Psych
First two quarters (or first semester) of economics
English
Sociology
Some physical science (I didn't, and I regret it) - biology, chemistry, or physics

Take enough to get a peek into the different disciplines. I wanted to do computer science or something similar when I first came to college; I took the classes, and realized that I hated it. I ended up choosing economics and mathematics (based on the courses I had taken my first year), and I'm enjoying it immensely.

 

[Codewiz]

Originally posted by: gopunk

Originally posted by: Codewiz

Originally posted by: Gibson486
Man, i am taking computer engineering and i just started to learn how to program. Last quarter i had matlab (not really programming, i know, but you have to do algorthmns) and well, i sucked at it. I still have no idea how to do a for loop. Right now i started c++, it doe snot seem to get any easier and it is boring as hell. Let me tell you this though, go to a school that is on the semester system (most, i imagine are). I am on the quarter sysytem and i am lazy as hell right now. I just fnished my last quarter and now i have to begien a new quarter. It sucks starting for a third time in one year. I really have to push myself. I just want to go home for the summer and be lazy. luckily nu is converting to semesters. ANyways, to give you an idea, engineers are pretty often looked for in the industry because, yeah, they can pretty much have a grasp on most other majors out there. Not only that, but places know engineering is dreadfully hard in some cases. to give you an example, i will start COOP next year and to land a COOP job in a place like Sun-microsystems or Microsoft, you need atleast a 3.2 GPA (woohoo, just barely made it!), however, if you were to apply as a computer science major, you need atleast a 3.6 or 3.7. To give you an idea, an engineer usually has more classes than any other major in one semester/quarter. They get alot of credits (sometimes they have more credits than allowd) than other majors.

You are misinformed about microsoft. I was flown out to Redmond to interview with them. I didn't get it but they DO NOT require 3.2 GPA. Microsoft FIRMLY believes that their interview process weeds out people don't meet their standards. GPA plays no role at MS. Hell Bill Gates never graduated from college.....

what he said... i interviewed (and failed miserably ) with them once, and not once did GPA come up.

Well I didn't do terrible but I got my ass burned in one of my three interviews during my visit there.

 

[Codewiz]

Originally posted by: gopunk

Computer Science is all programming with basic hardware classes mixed in.

i strongly disagree... it is mostly math and logic, with a computer emphasis

well programming is math and logic........

I had to take basic digital logic and CPU architecture classes. The most fun project I had while in school was designing a very simple CPU and writing an emulator for it.

Of course I have a skewed view since my university was pretty odd. My unversity only taught classes using Unix machines. I never touched a windows machine for development except in my own time.

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: Codewiz

Originally posted by: gopunk

Computer Science is all programming with basic hardware classes mixed in.

i strongly disagree... it is mostly math and logic, with a computer emphasis

well programming is math and logic........

I had to take basic digital logic and CPU architecture classes. The most fun project I had while in school was designing a very simple CPU and writing an emulator for it.

Of course I have a skewed view since my university was pretty odd. My unversity only taught classes using Unix machines. I never touched a windows machine for development except in my own time.

yea, but then you have courses like theory of computation... where there is no programming....

i suppose this is opinion, but to me, programming is more like just the tool you use in computer science. the crucial aspect of computer science is the math and logic behind the concepts that makes everything go... programming is just details.

 

[Codewiz]

Originally posted by: gopunk

Originally posted by: Codewiz

Originally posted by: gopunk

Computer Science is all programming with basic hardware classes mixed in.

i strongly disagree... it is mostly math and logic, with a computer emphasis

well programming is math and logic........

I had to take basic digital logic and CPU architecture classes. The most fun project I had while in school was designing a very simple CPU and writing an emulator for it.

Of course I have a skewed view since my university was pretty odd. My unversity only taught classes using Unix machines. I never touched a windows machine for development except in my own time.

yea, but then you have courses like theory of computation... where there is no programming....

Yeah but at my university that was only one class. Only BS(me included) majors were required to take it.

Of course every university is going to be different but I think he gets the idea of what each major involves.

EDIT: Maybe we are saying the same thing because when I say programming, for me it includes the design, implementation and coding. Designing involves all the math and logic involved. I don't consider programming to just be the actually typing of the algorithm into a specific language

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: Codewiz

Yeah but at my university that was only one class. Only BS(me included) majors were required to take it.

Of course every university is going to be different but I think he gets the idea of what each major involves.

Keep in mind that I am not a CS major, but I have a couple friends that are... through my discussions with them, what the UW program stresses is the ability to learn how to program - i.e. how to pick up new languages, algorithm efficiency, etc. Anyone can learn C++, but not everyone can make algorithms more efficient, or pick up a new language every year.